Mechanism for counting and recording the use of sound-reproducing records.



Patented A111229, 1913.

flater/zeg.

I. SCHMURKIN. MEGHANISM FOR OOUNTING AND RECORDING THE USE OF SOUNDREPVRODUCING RECORDS.

VAPPLIGATION IILED MAY 6, 1912.

JNO/Me coLuMmA PLANDGRAPM CD..WASM|NOTON. D. c.

UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oFFIoE.

IWAN SCHMURKIN, 0F MOSCOW, RUSSIA.

MECHANISM FOR COUNTING AND RECORDING THE USE OF SOUND-REPRODUCING-RECORDS.

Application filed May 6, 1912.

Specification of Letters ljatent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IwAN SCHMURKIN, a` subject of the Emperor of Russia,residing at No. 74 Wherny, Torgowy Rjady, Moscow, Russia, have invent-edcertain new and useful Improvements in Mechanisms for Counting andRecording the Use of Sound- Reproducing Records, of which the follow`ing is a specification.

The invention relates to machines such as sound reproducing machineshaving a counter connected thereto.

In the exploitation of sound reproducing machines it is often desirableto hire out the records from which the said machines reproduce thesounds, instead of disposing of the records by sale outright.

The present invention has for its object a mechanism for counting andrecording the number of times such records have been used on soundreproducing machines fitted with such mechanism and the means wherebythe counter is operated.

The mechanism for counting and recording the number of times the recordsare used can be fitted to every sound reproducing machine, and the ownerhaving a subscription depot for the hire of these machines and theirrecords can hire such to customers in any locality without regard todistance or time, in view of the fact that the construction of thecounting mechanism and the system of controlling the same are such asallow of the payment for the hire to be transmitted by post or otheravailable transmission means.

A subscriber who has obtained on hire a sound reproducing machine fittedwith the aforesaid counting and recording mecha` nism,fand a number ofrecords which are provided with specially shaped apertures to engagewith the corresponding spindle of the sound reproducing machine, andwhich records he is prevented from using with other machines not fittedwith the counting and recording mechanism of the present invention, anddesires to renew his supply of records, presents a slip of paper bearingthe registration figures of said counting and recording mechanism andpays to the owner the amount due, as determined by the differencebetween the last reading of the counter and that of the previous one.

The essential feature of the proposed mechanism for counting andrecording the number of times the sound' records have been used,consists in the combination of a sound reproducing machine with acounter wherein at each winding up of the spring mechanism necessary tomake the machine-operate, automatic counting takes place and in additiona special device is provided for the purpose of recording upon a paperslip the total number of times the records have been used with themachine.

One form of this invention is illustrated by way of example in theaccompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of apparatus appliedaccording to this invention to a gramophone for recording the number ofchanges of the records. Figs. 3 and 4 show the counter and the stampingmechanism in elevation and cross section.

The counter counts and records each winding of the motor spring which isactuated by means of a winding handle as in the construction shown inFigs. 1 and 2. The counter consists of two concentric disks 1 and 2(Fig. 4) provided with stamping parts 3 and 4. Each of these disks hasperipheral teeth engaging with a common worm 5. The number of teeth ofwheel 1 diders by one tooth as compared with the number of teeth ofwheel 2 which latter is one hundred. The part 3 connected to the disk 2forms an annular stamping die having one hundred divisions. A pointer 6is marked on the part 4 of the disk 1. A similar pointer 8 is alsomarked on the stationary part 7 of the casing 10 in the upper part ofwhich the shaft 9 of the disk 1 is rotatably mounted carrying a pointer11. Opposite this pointer 11 a stationary dial 12 the graduations notbeing shown, but which correspond to the graduations on dial 22 on part3 is provided on the casing 10 and is marked with the same divisions asthe disk 2. The counter is applied to the sound reproducing machine insuch a manner that its shaft 9 is vertical and the stamping faces of theparts 3, 4 and 7 are directed downward, the dial 12. and the pointer 11being arranged face upward so as to be visible. The counter may be ofany construction so long as it is convenient to use and is accessible.

Under the face of the counter on which the divisions and the pointersare marked in relief in negative, there is arranged a pressing disk 13the axle 14 of which can be moved up and down by means of the nose 15 ofa hand lever 17 pivoted on a pin 16. A ticket or a paper strip isinserted between the stamping dies 3, t, 7 and the disk 13. On pressingdown the lever 17 impressions of the circle of divisions on the disk 3and of the pointers 6 and 8 in their relative positions are stamped inthe said ticket. The shaft of the worm 5 is provided at its other endwith a worm Wheel 1S which gears with a worm on a shaft 19.A A crankhandle 21 is mounted on the shaft 19- and serves for winding the springof the sound reproducing machine through thel medium of a toothed wheel20. The worm on the shaft 19 and the worm gear 18 are so proportionedthat by winding the spring sufficiently to play a normal record ofmedium size the worm 5 is rotated through o'ne complete revolution, andconsequently the disks '1 and 2 are also each rotated through onedivision. At each complete revolution of the disks 2, 3 and 1, t, thelatter disk overruns with its pointer 6 the disk 2, 3 by one division.By this means the pointer 8 indicates the number of times the spring ofthe sound reproducing machine has been wound, each Winding beingsuflicient for playing a record of medium size right through and beingeffected by a. certain number of revolutions of the winding crankhandle. The pointer 6 overruns the dial by one division at eachrevolution and indicates the hundreds of these windings.

Having now described my invention what claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is A counter comprising two worm toothed wheelsmounted Concentrically, having a difference vof one tooth in the numberof teeth and provided with an indicating dial, a worm for driving thesaid toothed wheels, a shaft carrying said worm, means for rotating saidshaft, a Circular die and an annular die both mounted upon the aforesaidtoothed wheels, suitably marked divisions on one of said dies, a pointeron the other die, a stationary pointer, a platform situated opposite tosaid dies and means to press said platform against the dies whereby arecord of the indicating may be registered on a strip of paper.

vln testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

IVAN SGHMURKIN. Witnesses RIPLEY VViLsoN, CRISTIAN ERFURT.

fopies of this patent may be obtained for nve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Tatents, Washington, D. C.

